Articles by Guest blogger

Have you ever wondered how much energy is used to operate your home appliances? You may also be
curious about hidden energy leaks or drafts in your home. Let's discover how you can monitor your
energy consumption and save money.

The holiday season is approaching fast, and many of you are probably planning on using stringed lights to make your home look more festive. However, it's important to consider how much these electricity-drawing additions cost.....

It was another strong season for The Littlest User contest.
This year, we had 31 teams participate. Together, they saved a whopping 14,293 kWh.
Check out the link on our home page to see how all the teams did.

With summer winding down and winter quickly
approaching, I’m sure air conditioning is the last thing on your mind. But with
Wright-Hennepin’s rebates, now may be the time to look into upgrading your old unit.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, programmable
thermostats can help you save anywhere from 5 to 20 percent on your heating and
cooling expenses. However, 40-70 percent of the people who own these devices find
them to be difficult to operate.

It’s easier to save energy (and therefore, money) during the
summer than you might think. Some solutions may seem obvious, but can still make
a considerable dent in your electric bill. Here are a few simple activities
that can help you conserve energy this summer.

Summer has finally arrived! Even though we did have a decent
winter, for me, it seemed like summer couldn’t come fast enough. Maybe it’s the
trees, or the birds singing, or the fact that it’s only nice outside in
Minnesota for about six weeks a year, but everyone seems to be jumping at the
chance to get outside.

As some of you may know, Wright-Hennepin will be conducting
its 75th Annual Meeting on March 29. For those of you who haven’t
attended this event, you’re missing out on some valuable energy-saving information
as well as fun events and prizes.

Can you save water
and still get a great shower? YES!
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, showering
is one of the top uses of residential water in the United States, representing approximately
17 percent of indoor water use. Stop and think about how much you’re paying for
your water usage – especially for showering. You pay to bring the water into
your home, to take it away from your home and you pay to heat it as well. Basically,
you are paying three times to use water for showering – that can really add up!

Conserving energy in your home is about better insulating
the envelope inside as well as outside. A very easy and inexpensive project to
help you accomplish this is to install wall and switch plate seals.

Have you ever gotten up at night to get a glass of water and
noticed a lot of little red lights shining around your living room? Devices
that produce these lights are constantly drawing energy – whether they’re on or
off.

There’s been a lot of buzz about energy conservation in
recent years, and as you probably know, conserving energy is not always easy to
do. However, I’ve discovered a way to save energy while cooking and baking,
which may be very helpful during the upcoming holiday season.

The holiday season is approaching fast, and many of you are
probably planning on using stringed lights to make your home look more festive.
However, it’s important to consider how much these electricity-drawing
additions cost.

Air leakage – or infiltration – occurs when outside air
enters a house through uncontrolled spaces like cracks and small openings. Properly
sealing cracks and openings in your home can significantly reduce your heating
and cooling costs, improve building durability and create a healthier indoor
environment for you and your family.